| Notes |
- PEACE
On May 7, 2001, Brother Daniel Linskens, O.5.B.,monk of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, died peacefully in the Lord. Having suffered a heart attack in December, he developed serious complications following
heart surgery, which led to a long and difficult hospitalization. Beginning the day before his death in the monastery infirmary, his confreres took turns staying with him round the clock.
Brother Daniel was born in Appleton, Wisconsin, on July 12, 1937, to John and Gertrude (Thyssen) Linskens, and received the name Thomas John at his baptism. In 1951,after completing his elementary
education at St. Theresa Grade School in Appleton, young Thomas enrolled at St. Placid Hall, Saint Meinrad's former house of studies for those considering a vocation as a Benedictine brother. Brother Daniel was invested as a novice at Saint Meinrad on March 10, 1956, and professed his simple vows on April 7, 1957. His profession of perpetual vows took place on July 16, 1960, the Solemnity of Our Lady of Einsiedeln.
Shortly after his first profession, Brother Daniel was assigned to undertake nursing studies at the Sacred Heart School of Nursing in Yankton, South Dakota. At the time of this appointment, no one-not Archabbot Bonaventure, not Brother Daniel-could have foreseen the full extent of the blessings that lay ahead for Saint Meinrad and the surrounding community as a result of this decision. Brother Daniel graduated from nursing school in May 1961,achieving the second highest score in his class on the exam for professional nurse licensure. Upon his return to Saint Meinrad as a registered nurse, he began what would be his lifelong work, first as infirmarian, then as director of the health service.
In a letter to Archabbot Bonaventure shortly before his graduation, Brother Daniel observed: "Three years seems a long time, but we have only scratched the surface in the knowledge of medicine." Brother Daniel would spend the next 40 years digging deeper. Always studying and improving himself professionally, he received permission in 1976to continue his formal studies, achieving the title of physician assistant following his graduation from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1979. Brother Daniel realized another dream in 1990,when our health service was designated officially as a rural health clinic, and his services became available more widely, especially to the poor in the area.
Over the years, countless monks, students, co-workers, dependents and neighbors benefitted firsthand from Brother Daniel's patient, persistent, steady application of his skills. For their part, state officials, doctors and other health professionals who worked with Brother Daniel always commented on the high degree of professionalism that marked every aspect of his work. With good reason, he was simply called "Doc" by many in the community.
But to speak of Brother Daniel's competence and skill is to tell only a part of the story. No portrait of Brother Daniel is complete without a mention of his seemingly super-human generosity. Any time of day or night, he made himself available, whether to answer a fire or rescue call, or to see a patient outside of regular hours. Others' needs were always uppermost in his mind. Neither would any portrait of Brother Daniel be complete without mentioning his wise, objective analysis of any situation, healthrelated or not. During the last several years of his life, he served as an elected member of the Council of the Archabbot, where, in measured tones, he always seemed to ask the right questions to help move the deliberations along.
Finally, there should be mention of what a handyman Brother Daniel was. He was almost as skilled at woodworking, electronics and auto mechanics as he was with medicine. He loved to "putz," as he called
it, in his rare spare time.
The outpouring of emotion at Brother Daniel's death is a recognition of how much we have lost, to speak in human terms. It is also an affirmation of this great man's total devotion to serving Christ in the care of all God's little ones. May he, who never hesitated to interrupt his own rest for the sake of one in need, now find eternal rest in the arms of the God who heals all ills, and wipes away every tear from our eyes.
The Office of the Dead will be prayed on Thursday, May 10, in the Archabbey Church. The Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated at 10:00a.m. on Friday, May 11, in the Archabbey Church. Burial will follow in
the Archabbey Cemetery. For the repose of his soul, three Masses will be offered by each monk of the Archabbey. The customary suffrages are recommended to all monks of our Congregation.
Archabbot Lambert and Community
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1937 - 2001 (63 years)
, d. 26 Mar 1999, Combined Locks, Outagamie, Wisconsin 